Electric Stimulation for Pain Relief Using Acupuncture Needles

Shin, Keun Man; Hong, Soon Yong; Choi, Young Ryong

Abstract

For pain relief my collegue and I used thin acupuncture neddles as electrodes in electric stimulation. The needles were inserted into a trigger point and into another point located in the same muscle instead of meridian points of electro-acupuncture. Low frequency electric stimulation was given through the needles to l30 patients for 15 min. The results were as follws In 25 acute sprain patients electric stimulation was given 3.14+/-1.12 times and the pain was reduced on the average by 83.00+/-6.77% (VAS). In 45 chronic sprain patients electric stimulation was given 5.5l+/-1.38 times and the pain was reduced on the average by 70.22+/-8.98% (VAS). In 28 myofascial pain syndrome patients electric stimulation was given 6.22X1.25 times and the pain was reduced on the average by 66.48+/-8.75(%). In 7 muscle contraction headache patients electric stimulation was given 4.141.57times and the pain was reduced on the average by 75.00+/-9.57% (VAS). In 25 radiculopathy patients electric stimulation was given 4.73+/-1.131 times and the pain was reduced on the average by 21.37+9.31% (VAS). We he conclude that electric stimulation therapy using acupuncture needles is very effective in acute sprain, chronic sprain, myofascial pain syndrome and muscle contraction headache. Any doctor with knows anatomy and trigger points can practice this method without studying oriental medicine or difficult acupuncture techniques.